With bike and barge you will visit famous historical towns, picturesque cities and beautiful landscapes in the surprising varied "Green Heart" of Holland. Highlights are among others Amsterdam with its beautiful canals, Dom-city Utrecht, harbour city Rotterdam, Delft with its famous Delftware factories, cheese city Gouda, the windmills at Kinderdijk, silver city Schoonhoven, the historical centre of Haarlem, the dunes and the North Sea beach and the open air museum "Zaanse Schans".
The Southern tour is the perfect tour to enjoy the variety of area in the central part of the Netherlands with its many small canals and lakes, beautiful old cities (during daytime and in the evening) and the various Highlights of Holland.
The medium-sized river cruiser has 34 cabins and accommodation for approx. 65 guests. The cruise boat has mainly twin cabins with 2 single beds (next to each other), a window (can be opened) and en-suite, private bathroom (shower + toilet + wash basin) and air-conditioning; 22 cabins on the lower deck, 12 cabins on upper (top) deck (supplement). A limited number of triple or single cabins is available on request. On upper deck: a cosy salon with restaurant area, a bar and a lounge area with large windows; entrance area with reception / check-in-desk. The spacious, partially roofed sun deck offers sitting places to passengers and a separate storage place for the bicycles.
The interior of the ship is a no-smoking zone: smoking is only allowed on the sun deck. As a safety measure, a statutory smoking ban applies in all cabins; this means that all cabins and rooms on board are no-smoking zones.
Additional Information
Rental bicycle with 7 gears, hand and pedal brakes, pannier bag:
55,00 EUR per week.
The bicycles on board are mostly unisex touring or trekking bikes with light-weight frames and normal mount (ladies model), with 7 gears, hand brake & hub brake and pannier bag. Prices of other bikes (e.g. E-Bikes, children's bikes, "slip stramers", tandems, parent-and-child tandems etc.) and child's saddles (front or rear) are on request.
Guests are also allowed to bring their own bicycles (at not extra cost). However, the crew or tour operator are in no way responsible for any damage, loss or theft of such bicycles.
In the Netherlands, bikes are not obligated by law to wear a bike helmet. Bike helmets are not available on board.
Departure location: Amsterdam (Center) Oosterdok
Departure time: 14:00
Duration: 1 week
Please note:
In principe, children are very welcome on board. However, before booking, we advise you to satisfy yourself that your child is able to manage a cycle trip of 30-60 km.
Children's bikes, tandems, parent-and-child tandems, slip streamers etc. or child's saddles are available on request.
We advise you to book this tour at least a couple of months in advance.
When booking online, you pay a deposit of 20% directly and after confirming availability we will contact you with the invoice for the remaining 80%.
To book this tour, please click on the calendar on the right.
Day 1 (Sat): Arrival and embarkation in Amsterdam
Afternoon: As from 2 PM embarkation and check-in in Amsterdam (centre). Explore downtown Amsterdam: time for shopping, to visit a museum or to make a canal tour (reduced tickets available on board, until 10 p.m.) this is an unique way to see the capital of Holland from another side.
Day 2 (Sun): During breakfast: Amsterdam - Breukelen
Breukelen - Utrecht 30-40 km / 19-25 miles
Afternoon: Utrecht - Rotterdam
A bike tour from Breukelen along the beautiful small river Vecht. Along this river you will see very nice villas, cottages and small castles.You will follow the Vecht into the centre of Utrecht with its Dom (Cathedral) tower, 111 m. high. In the afternoon: continue by ship from Utrecht to Rotterdam.
Day 3 (Mon): Rotterdam - Schiedam - Delft - Rotterdam 40 km / 25 miles
Evening: Rotterdam - Gouda
Cycling tour for example via "jenever-city" Schiedam and through the Delfland to Delft. Visit the beautiful city centre with its beautiful canals, picturesque streets, bridges and alleys. For many guests a visit to the Delftware factories "Royal Delft" is one of the highlights of the tour. "Dinner cruise" from Rotterdam to cheese city Gouda: arrival approx. 8:00 PM.
Day 4 (Tue): During breakfast: Gouda - Kinderdijk
Kinderdijk - Schoonhoven 30-50 km / 19-32 miles**
With the ship from Gouda to Kinderdijk or optional bike tour already from Gouda through the flat and quiet polder-land. Visit Kinderdijk (Unesco-world culture heritage) with 19 windmills in one line. Continue cycling tour to the "silver city" Schoonhoven at the river Lek.
Day 5 (Wed): Schoonhoven - Oudewater - Utrecht 50 km / 32 miles Afternoon: Utrecht - Haarlem
Cycle tour from Schoonhoven through the beautiful "Green Heart" via Oudewater (visit the Witches Weigh House) to Utrecht. In the late afternoon you will sail with the ship to Beverwijk.
Day 6 (Thu): Beverwijk - North sea coast - Haarlem - Beverwijk 40-50 km / 25-32 miles**
Afternoon: Beverwijk - Zaandam
Today offers 2 bike tours, both leading to Haarlem: the long tour goes through the dunes via Bloemendaal and Zandvoort and along the North Sea coast; the short tour goes through the inland (optional: a stopover in Poldermuseum Cruquius) back to Beverwijk. In the evening your ship will sail to Zaandam.
Day 7 (Fri): Zaandam - Amsterdam 30 km/ 19 miles
From Zaandam you will cycle to the open air museum "Zaanse Schans" (a.o. traditional wooden houses, windmills, cheese and wooden shoe "clog" manufacturing). Continue bike tour through recreational area "Twiske" to Amsterdam.
Day 8 (Sat): Amsterdam After breakfast disembarkation and end of tour.
DETAILS SOUTHERN TOUR:
Barring changes, a.o. as a result of nautical, technical or meteorological reasons. **: Both possibilities are being offered: the guest can choose. All distances are "approximate distances" of recommended bicycle tours.
Tours in italics will be covered by ship.
Things To Bring
- Photo / Video Camera
- Printed Voucher
Inclusions
- Boat & Bike Tour with Cruiser: 8 days / 7 nights (Sat-Sat), from/to Amsterdam, Southern Tour;
- Accommodation Cruiser: Twin cabin with at least 1 window and air conditioning system, shower + toilet, central heating; use of bed sheets, duvets and towels (change of towels on request), light cleaning of cabin during tour; salon with restaurant, bar and lounge area; partially roofed sun deck with tables + chairs.
- Full board: 7 x (tasty Dutch bikers') breakfast buffet on board; 7 x three-course dinner on board; 6 x packed picnic lunch for bike tours; Coffee and tea till 4 PM; diet and special wished on request.
- Welcoming drink and informative talk during the first evening;
- Tour guide who gives a daily preliminary review of the bike tours and a few short guided tours.
Exclusions
- Surcharge cabin upper deck (if booked and pending availability: 70,00 EUR p.pers.)
- Transfers to/from place of (dis)embarkation in Amsterdam / other transfers
- Car parking fee
- Rental of bicycle (optional: 55,00 EUR per week for 7-speed light-weight bicycle)
- Entrance fees & other optional excursions, fees for ferries
- Drinks on board, personal insurances, gratuities (at your discretion)
Cancellation Policy
In the event of cancellation by the Customer, the following percentages shall be due:
- More than 84 days prior to sailing 10%
- (incl.) 84 to 42 days prior to sailing 30%
- (incl.) 42 to 28 days prior to sailing 60%
- (incl. 28 to (incl.) 1 day(s) prior to sailing 90%
- Day of embarkation (no show) or later 100%
Cancellation costs in % of the tour price (agreement).
Cancellation must be made by fax, with receipt to be confirmed by Supplier, or by registered mail. The date of cancellation shall be the date of receipt by the Supplier.
Departs
On Saturdays from April 21st till September 8th
Pickup/Departure
Amsterdam (Center), Oosterdok
Drop-Off
Same as above.
Additional Locations
Utrecht, Netherlands
Delft, Netherlands
Rotterdam, Netherlands
Haarlem, Netherlands
Zaandam, Netherlands
